Walter Buyu: A Cybersecurity Expert and Budding Marathoner

Published on Dec. 23, 2024, 8:37 p.m.

Walter is a cybersecurity professional. He has worked with various organisations in government, industry, and academia. He is also a recreational runner and hopes to earn a Six Star Medal by the Abbott World Marathon Majors someday. What was your Chevening Cohort, what did you study and in which University? I was part of the 2017/2018 cohort and studied MSc. Cyber Security and Management at the University of Warwick. How was your Chevening experience and how did it or has it impacted your life? I enjoyed my stay in the UK, interacting with people from different countries. The greatest transformation I had was the mind shift. My way of thinking was challenged and I learned to write in a simple language that can be understood by the target audience. Besides studying, I travelled across the four countries that make up the UK (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) and explored Europe and Asia. The studies and networks I created through Chevening have opened doors for me within Kenya and globally. As a Chevening Leader, what would you consider your proudest moment or greatest achievement? As of now, I would say successfully leading the Cybersecurity Training for Teachers course offered by the Commonwealth of Learning, which has reached more than 18,000 participants from 110 countries. The course series began in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the last offer was concluded in July 2024. As the Project Lead, I was responsible for developing, promoting, facilitating, monitoring and evaluating the course. I was glad to read feedback from participants who shared how the course has helped them personally and empowered them to protect their learners, institutions and communities. I am proud of the positive impact the course has had on educators across the globe. Who or what has had the greatest influence on your life? The need to be better. I always try to improve and be better in all areas of my life. I remember in high school when I applied this principle and moved my score in mathematics from below 40 to above 80 in one year. I used the same approach to increase my running distance from 3km to 21km (and transitioning to 42km soon). When you become a better person, you create a positive environment around you, good things come your way, and you inspire people to be a better version of themselves. What is the most important lesson you have learned in life? Always look at the bigger picture. What is it that you want to achieve? By focusing on the goal, you can manage and shape things around you towards fulfilling the objective. How would you like to be remembered? Touching people's lives in some way. Some people have told me it was great working with me. Some have said they were inspired by the conversations we had. So, I hope to be remembered for leaving a positive mark on people who interacted with me